A nurse attached to Masalani sub-county hospital in Ijara was arrested at Kanyonyo area of Mwingi County Thursday and an assortment of government drugs he had stolen recovered from him.

Confirming the incident, Ijara sub-county Medical Officer of Health (MOH) Dr Abdi Nasir said the drugs belonged to the facility and were being carried in a carton, adding the medic was being held in police cells pending arraignment in court after investigations.

Contacted for comment, Masalani hospital medical superintendent Dr Kassim Ahmed Dualle said the nurse was heading to Nairobi presumably to sell the stolen medicines when he was cornered.

On the other hand, the hospital board chairman Mr Adan Ali blamed the stealing on poor management and negligence by the health facility’s leadership.

Ali accused both the hospital’s MOH and Medical superintendent of being out of the facility for a month without official leave. “When there is a leadership vacuum junior staff can do all sorts of things including stealing,” he claimed. – KNA